Observers of initiative process in California, Michigan point out problems with process embraced by Evers |
Would laws based on public petition campaigns and referendums do a better job of giving Wisconsin citizens a voice in legislation? Not necessarily, say observers in other states that have the process.
“It’s not direct democracy, really,” said Lance Christensen, a long-time legislative consultant and budget analyst in California. “It’s more of an oligarchy or plutocracy.”
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has renewed his proposal that legislators allow themselves to be cut out of the process of making state law and permit bills to be passed or statutes to be repealed by petition and referendum, an idea that the Legislature’s leaders dismissed as dead on arrival. After Evers forced lawmakers into session to consider the idea last session, legislators dismissed the notion within minutes.
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Sen. Ron Johnson and Rich Lowry, editor in chief of National Review, kick off the Badger Institute’s 2025 Speaker Series. |
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Huge proposal is just one of several in the works for southeastern Wisconsin |
Port Washington’s announcement of another billion-dollar data center project in southeastern Wisconsin is focusing attention on the challenge of meeting the voracious energy needs of this new economic opportunity.
If fully realized, a 2,000-acre data center along the city’s north border in what is now the Town of Port Washington would rival in scope and economic impact the ever-growing Microsoft data center project now under construction in and around Mount Pleasant. |
The population of Wisconsin will decline by approximately 279,000 people over the next 25 years, according to projections released by the state Department of Administration. The state’s models show the population dropping from its current level of approximately 5.989 million in 2024 to 5.891 million in 2030, 5.842 million in 2040, and 5.710 million in 2050. |
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Gov. Evers speaks out on lack of cops in Milwaukee Public Schools |
“I’m frustrated especially that they’ve been working together with the city on the issue of police in schools. That’s part of state law, and they have to obey the law.” |
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“Absolutely ridiculous. Destroying an area’s business in hopes of rainbows and unicorns. The EPA needs to be reorganized with people that have some form of intelligence.” |
— Gordon Lunde, Lisbon, WI |
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On Jan. 16, the EPA will bump metro Milwaukee into “severe nonattainment” status for ozone. The regulatory onslaught likely will do absolutely nothing to bring Milwaukee into compliance. What is likely is that the region will become poorer. |
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Weekly survey: Should Wisconsin permit legislation to be passed or repealed by petition and referendum?
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